20% of Ford Cars Sold in Europe Have 3-Cylinder Engines

Ford Motor Co. says its 1.0-liter 3-cylinder gasoline engine is standard equipment in one of five new vehicles it sells in Europe.

The company sold about 120,000 vehicles with the little turbocharged engine in the first half of 2014 compared with 104,000 in the same period last year.

The EcoBoost 1.0-liter powerplant debuted two years ago in the Focus small sedan. Ford now offers the engine in Europe in the Fiesta small car, B-Max mini people mover, EcoSport mini-SUV, C-Max midsize people mover, Tourneo Connect and Courier vans and Transit Connect/Courier commercial vans.

Ford currently builds the 1.0-liter engine in 99-, 123- and 138-hp iterations. The company notes that the engine's tiny turbocharger spins at speeds as high as 248,000 rpm nearly twice the maximum allowed for Formula One race car engines.